Better deal for Batticaloa IDPs

Dharma Sri Abeyratne

BATTICALOA: Moves are under way to increase the per capita income of the internally displaced in the Batticaloa District when the Livestock Development Ministry resettles them.

This was revealed at a meeting chaired by Livestock Development Deputy Minister K. A. Bayis at the District Secretariat Office in Batticaloa recently.

On President Mahinda Rajapaksa's advice, the Livestock Development Ministry has planned to launch several development programmes. Immediate steps will be taken to provide dairy farmers' requirements aiming to increase their revenue.

Dairy Farmers' Organisation pointed out that they had to give up their farms and had to flee when they became internally displaced persons. They requested the Deputy Minister to help them return to their farms.

Ministry officials revealed that there are only four veterinary surgeons in the Batticaloa District even though there should be 14.The Minister said he will take immediate action to solve problems related to the Livestock Development Ministry and promised to put forward the problems not relevant to the Ministry to the President's attention.

The District Secretary, Divisional Secretaries of Livestock Development Ministry Heads, Executive Director of Milco Limited and the Dairy Farming society members participated in the meeting.